Soursop

This small tropical tree grows 4 to 6 metres tall. It has simple, alternate, hairless leaves that are thick and glossy on the upper surface. They measure 6 to 12 cm long and 2.5 to 6 cm wide. When crushed, they give off a scent similar to that of conifers.

The yellowish flowers appear singly or in small clusters. Each has 6 fleshy petals arranged in 2 rows of 3, with the inner petals smaller than the outer ones.

Soursop, a large spiny fruit

Its fruit, known as soursop, gives the species its common name. It is actually a multiple fruit formed by the fusion of ovaries from clustered flowers. This type of fruit is known as a fleshy syncarp. The fruit is yellowish green and oval in shape, and its epicarp, or fruit skin, is covered in soft spines.

The soursop measures 20 to 35 cm in length and generally weighs 2 to 3 kg, making it the largest fruit in the genus Annona. Its white flesh is juicy and has a fibrous texture. The fruit contains numerous flattened black seeds.